Defence

Scotland plays a key role in the world-wide defence market, employing over 12,600 highly skilled people and boasting annual sales in excess of £1.8 billion a year. 

Scottish-based companies are involved in this fast moving, high technology industry through its invlovement in the design, development, manufacture and continuing support of a wide range of complex defence equipment – ranging from naval warships through to missile systems and sensor suites for land and air based weapons platforms. 

How is the defence industry defined?

Reductions in the majority of nations defence budgets are driving diversification, a focus on export markets and international collaboration as a means of both cost and risk reduction.

The defence industry is no longer focused soley on conventional warfare, but is instead is looking to applications of its technology in areas such as security and resilience to maintain its expansion.